Little sandbox of Strangeness

[Alhallor]

Spoiler: OOC

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This is a continuation of Dungeon of Strangeness.

You have gathered before the entrance of the cliff. The last 2 months were uneventful after you get through the dungeon you can find your old workingplaces or do something with the money you acquired there. But you all got a message from ZZ a few weeks before. It seems that he was able to find out the location of one of the benefactors of the dungeon. A "Mr. Belltower" who resides in this valley surrounded by mountains. ZZ couldn't exactly find out what exactly he got out of this sponsorship but it was probably a good idea to check it out, just to make sure there wasn't another research facility.

Behind you is a beautiful tranquil forest where you didn't encounter anything hostile (well there were two sleeping owlbears but they were more adorable than dangerous.) The next town is a 4 days walk away (less if you got carried by Labs).

Before you are the entrance to the valley, a cliff with the surrounding mountains looking dangerously sharp.

To your left and to your right the mountains continue farther than the eyes can see.

Supposedly in the center of the valley there is a little town, or a big village by the name of "Valleyington" whose primary goods are rough stone and salt.

[Ridai]

A lot has changed in these two months. Labs has come prepared. His beanie is a covert black, just as his chainmail is black with grey plaid. His beard... well actually his beard has not changed, but his eyebrows look more impressive now, showing the wisdom of character growth! Growth driven by very diligent squat routines and enduring Kalliste's endless nagging that has now become a core tenet of her life.

To be frank, he has come even more prepared! He brought the Party Harness for carrying intrepid adventurers, and it looks like it will come in handy right about now!

So standing at the cliff, Labs examines it, taking a look-see at the wall and how to best make the climb, audibly scratching whatever eldritch things that may or may not be a chin may be hidden under his beard.

[Metastachydium]

Kalliste… Took the opposite approach to coming prepared, which is to say, she's all blinged-out, as bold as brass and twice as shiny with a very obviously brand new light-weight outfit in daring, cheerful colours under her proudly polished chainshirt, a finely crafted, likewise new backpack made of supple leather and a pair of weird boots she seems to consider classy for some reason. Any chance you're goin' to, you know, wrap up this sightseein' business in this here century, Big Guy? she asks with a broad grin as she spies the valley below. We've got a town to hit!

[Ridai]

"Do not hit the town, it has not yet done anything to you," Labs answers, finishing his scouting of the cliff. "Alright then! Please return to your seats, the ride continues. Please put on your seatbelts. Or not. I am not your legal guardian."

And with that, he loads up the others, and begins the descent down the cliff.

Spoiler: OOC

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Climb check with 60ft climb speed (1d20+34)[42]

[Metastachydium]

Kalliste shakes her head with overplayed exasperation. It's just a turn o'phrase, Big Guy. Nothin' to get carried a-… …-way over. Damn idioms; why is language doing this to her? Displeased with this turn of events, she settles into the offered seat (she could, of course, use the sweat of her own brow, which is to say, her own climbing abilities, but a free ride is a free ride) and making a show of not touching the seat belt, mentally prepares herself for what should be a lovely panoramic view.

[Captain Jak]

Spoiler: STAT BLOCK

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Rosiwyn Billowcloak
HP: 24 | CURRENT: 24 | AC: 19 | TOUCH: 19 | FLAT: 17
INITIATIVE: +2 | SPOT: +9 | LISTEN: +14 | FORTITUDE: -- | REFLEX: +5 | WILL: +4
ACTIVE EFFECTS: None.
CONDITIONS: None.

A shadow flickers over them as something passes before the sun, and a moment’s search reveals the broad wingspan of a hippogryph circling high overhead. It abruptly seems to somehow stumble, losing altitude for a moment, before wheeling with a shrill cry and winging strongly away to the southwest.

A short while later the translucent form of a familiar ghnome comes drifting down out of the sky to join the rest who have gathered.

"Sorry to keep people waiting!" she tells the others cheerfully. "I had to find myself a ride, or it would have taken even longer!" She giggles, and looks the odd harness over curiously.

[Metastachydium]

RROSI! Kalliste flashes a big, happy grin at the quasiethereal gnome hovering about around them. I was gettin' 'fraid I'll end up stuck with the Fun P'lice! she chuckles, nudging Labs with an elbow. But hey, that freakin' entrance's easily made up for most of the anguish.

[danielxcutter]

"Ah, lively as always," remarked the hexblade. "No offense, Rosi."

[Alhallor]

You (or Labs) makes his way up the uninviting mountainside. It doesn't take that long till you reach the top and can overlook the canyon. The first thing you see is that at the right side of the mountains seems to be an easily traversable way into the valley (though with Labs perfect climbing speed it's probably faster to get to the village on the way you already are at.)

Right in the middle of the valley is a big village (or a small city), there seems to be a relatively big mine at it's left side and north of the village is a simply massive belltower, a colossus made of white and grey stone, it seems to be even higher than the surrounding mountainside. Another unusual thing are the caves that nudge themselves in the northwest of the valley. They are other natural occuring caves dotting the mountains but these seem to be especially big and foreboding.

Then the sound of metal against metal and incoherent screaming draws your attention towards a creature.

It looks kinda like a scorpion. If a scorpion had three protruding heads that are only mouth and no eyes and if it had pincers basically all over it's body wiggling aggressively and metal armor plates that scrape against one another.

It seems to be going towards your direction.

Spoiler: Valley

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Nice view

Spoiler: Scorpion

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Hi, my Name is Scorpy.

[Ridai]

"Hello? Do you speak? Are you a victim of science crimes?" Labs calls over to Scorpy the Nightmare Scorpion.

[Metastachydium]

Yeah, sure, Big Guy. It's got no eyes; it's just common court'sy to point the thing in the right direction. Kalliste snarks, though with a surprisingly light acerbic edge. If there's fun to have looming on the horizon, she can't be picky, Labs. I'd also be kind of shocked to find it's speakin' Common of all things,[UNDERCOMMON]am I right, funny scorpion thing?[/UNDERCOMMON][INFERNAL]I'm takin' "I surrender" for an answer, in case you've been wondering![/INFERNAL][GIANT]We don't know mercy, but the hairy one does![/GIANT] With no more pretending to be helpful to do, she flicks her eyes around to locate the ever-fluttering ghnome. Or d'you want it, Rosi?

Spoiler: ROLLS!

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Diplomacy on Scorpy: (1d20+20)[28]; and
MORE Diplomacy on Scorpy, in case all languages need their own check: (1d20+20)[22]; (1d20+20)[37].

[danielxcutter]

"Y'know, I wouldn't be surprised if that thing was from that nasty place," remarked Elexis. "Let's face it, there was weirder stuff there."

[Metastachydium]

Fair. Kalliste concedes, bobbing her head. Can you imagine this ugly 'ere with burnin' tentacles for removin' cerebral matter? she goes on with chuckle, apparently finding the mental image funny.

Spoiler: For kicks.

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Bluff: (1d20+19)[30] to beat for finding out that no, she doesn't think it'd be funny and she'd be bravely running away if that were the case.

[Captain Jak]

Spoiler: STAT BLOCK

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Rosiwyn Billowcloak
HP: 24 | CURRENT: 24 | AC: 19 | TOUCH: 19 | FLAT: 17
INITIATIVE: +2 | SPOT: +9 | LISTEN: +14 | FORTITUDE: -- | REFLEX: +5 | WILL: +4
ACTIVE EFFECTS: None.
CONDITIONS: None.

Rosiwyn shakes her spectral head.

"No thanks, I was just cooped up in a Hippogryph," she replies cheerfully. "I’m sure gonna go check it out, though! It looks amazing!" And with that, she flits forward towards the monstrously formed insect monster beast machine...thing.

Spoiler: OOC:

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Double move, advance to H10

[Alhallor]

Scorpy rushes forward, which means that Rosywin get's a pretty nice view of it's numerous teeth and claws. The teeth on the heads actually seem to have three rows and are going inward. The numerous smaller claws that surround him are creating a small Vortex and slashing and stabbing all around him, which Rosywin actually get's caught up in while the nightmare scorpion rushes forward.

Spoiler: Rosywin

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attack with magical mini claws, (1d100)[42] 1-50 is actually a hit against incorporeal. If hit you can make a DC 18 Reflex save to half (2d6)[9] magical slashing/piercing damage.

It seems to be a bit slowed down because of the slopes and hills it has to go forward too, but it seems pretty aggressive and moves towards you. It doesn't seem to recognise any speech directed towards it. Or it just wants to hug you very enthusiastic.

[Ridai]

Labs sighs as he pulls out his axe. "A no on speech, yes on experiments, very yes on angry." The next moment, Labs is in the air with a might leap, and a spin, and a spin, and a spin, and a spin, and oh an axe attack from the sky.

Spoiler: Actions

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Move Tumble-jump next to Scorpy into square H18. Labs literally cannot fail the tumble check or the jump check, since 1s aren't auto-fails on skill checks, and Labs has hilarious jump distance.

Standard Hit Scorpy with the adamantine axe
(1d20+11)[23], (1d12+7)[10] slashing damage

[Metastachydium]

Scorpy's apparent refusal to just be their new friend saddens Kalliste, and she's not really keen on the idea of getting her face torn off either. Well, damn. she states in a perfect deadpan. YOU SURE Y'DON'T, you know, WANT TO JUST TALK THINGS OVER INSTEAD? she adds in Undercommon and then Infernal, for good measure, slightly louder for Scorpy's benefit. Maybe the poor critter's just hard of hearing. She doesn't intend to take her chances, nevertheless. Unnncllllle Trrrricky! she tells the ground, tapping it with her left foot. Someone over 'ere wants to dance!

And then it happens. She quickly takes on the probably kinda-sorta familiar shape of the gaunt lizard creature with the eyes, and gripping the hilt of her oversized sickle with her new, long, lean, clawed fingers, she draws it.

Spoiler: Lizard Mode is ON!

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K. uses Infernal Guise to turn into a phaerlock! Her AC is now 25 (T 12 FF 23)! She gains two claws and a bite, for 1d4+2 and 1d4+1 respectively, as well as a +4 to Balance, Jump and Swim!

[Captain Jak]

Spoiler: STAT BLOCK

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Rosiwyn Billowcloak
HP: 24 | CURRENT: 15 | AC: 19 | TOUCH: 19 | FLAT: 17
INITIATIVE: +2 | SPOT: +9 | LISTEN: +14 | FORTITUDE: -- | REFLEX: +5 | WILL: +4
ACTIVE EFFECTS: None.
CONDITIONS: None.

Rosiwyn yelps and squawks as the creature rips through her semi-corporeal nature, tearing rents in her ghostly form.

"Hey, that hurt!" she protests, her fingers starting to lengthen disconcertingly as she darts after the monster. "I’m not supposed to get hurt!
" She plunges her grasping hands at the beast’s armoured hide, seeking to drain some of its vitality to restore what had been stolen from her.

The nerve!

Spoiler: OOC:

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Advance to H14
Draining Touch (touch attack) (1d20+4)[11] CON Damage (1d4)[4]

[danielxcutter]

"Okay, suck on this, snapped the hexblade, pointing at the creature. A shadowy beast slunk out from the unseen towards it, weakening its resistance to Elexis' curse.

Spoiler: OOC

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Move my Dark Companion to be adjacent to it, and then use my Hexblade's Curse. A Dark Companion gives a -2 penalty to saves and AC to enemies next to it, and my Hexbands give a +1 to the save DC. So DC 18, with a -2 penalty.

[Alhallor]

The curse hit's Scorpy firmly and definitely making Rosiwyn's grasp hit it and siphoning some of it's sweet, sweet vitality. Labs axe connects too and Scorpy already seems pretty hurt. Though it's numerous claws still whirl around, trying to get you.

Spoiler: Claw vortex, against Labs and Rosiwyn

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Rosiwyn: Incorporeal miss Chance, 1-50 is a miss. (1d100)[20]
Claws deal (2d6-2)[6] Damage (it's a weapon attack technically, if it's 0 then you both get no damage)
If hit make a DC 16 Reflex save for half Damage.

Scorpy screams… It's scream is somehow focused on Labs and cracks the earth around him.

Spoiler: Labs

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Make a DC 16 Fortitude save, if you succeed you get half of (5d8)[22] sonic damage and are not deaf, if you fail you get full damage and are deafened (which doesn't really affect anything combat-wise) till you heal any hit-point damage (like from a rest or a potion).

Spoiler: Map

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Didn't edited the map in!

[Ridai]

"OW!" Labs shouts, feet tippy-tappying on the broken floor for balance. "THAT WAS NOT VERY NICE! BUT YOU MISCALCULATED! A SILENCE SPELL DOESN'T STOP AN AXE!" He underlines this (even though obviously no one can hear this, not even he himself for the most part) with another wallop from his axe.

Spoiler: Actions

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Standard Hit with axe, to the surprise of everyone involved.
(1d20+11)[15], (1d12+7)[11] slashing damage

[Metastachydium]

Hells, Big Guy, there's no need to, you know, shout! Kalliste, well, shouts, ignoring the bit with the Silence spell (Labs's always been weird), as she scurries forward herself to join the melee. This could still be fun!

Spoiler: Attack.

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Jump if Labs needed that to get on the brown square (I can't remember what those were and can't seem to find it anywhere either): (1d20+10)[15]
Tumble (eat your heart out, reach!): (1d20+15)[24]

Attack: (1d20+8)[28] for (1d8+4)[8]

Ac's still 25.

[Captain Jak]

Spoiler: STAT BLOCK

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Rosiwyn Billowcloak
HP: 24 | CURRENT: 20 | AC: 19 | TOUCH: 19 | FLAT: 17
INITIATIVE: +2 | SPOT: +9 | LISTEN: +14 | FORTITUDE: -- | REFLEX: +5 | WILL: +4
ACTIVE EFFECTS: None.
CONDITIONS: None.

Rosiwyn shivers as she siphons off some energy from the monstrosity; that certainly hits the spot!

Not to say she couldn’t do with a touch more, and as the beast’s flailings this time pass harmlessly through her translucent form she reaches out again to drain away some of its failing vitality.

Spoiler: OOC:

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Draining Touch (touch attack) (1d20+6)[21] CON Damage (1d4)[4]

[Alhallor]

It seems that Scorpy really can't take getting his pure vitality drained away while also being hacked and slashed at. With Rosywin's final vitality drain the great big Nightmare-scorpion heaves down and doesn't move anymore. Shortly after that there is a small *tink,tinkadink, tinktink, tunktink* around the scorpion (for anyone who can hear) and it seems Scorpy has lost a bunch of… Quite nicely crafted daggers he had imbedded in his numerous small claws and appendages that he weaved around frantically.

Spoiler: OOC

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It seems Scorpy has lost 9 (NINE) +1 daggers, somehow.

Now after this threat is defeated the valley seems to be open to you once more.

Spoiler: Valley

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Valley

[Ridai]

"OH BOY, WHAT A FIGHT!" Labs shouts, followed by obvious surprise at the sudden influx of magic knives. "CAREFUL, IT'S LITTERING! SOMEONE COULD STEP ON THESE!" If he makes big enough mouth motions, people might be able to tell what he means in this damned silence spell. He quickly picks up the knives, much like he would if he found discarded objects in a forest.

"OKAY, LET'S GO!" The spell has to run out at some point, right?

Spoiler: OOC

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Going to town!

[Metastachydium]

Kalliste the Four-Eyed Lizard watches the deluge of shiny daggers with obvious delight in all four of her lizard eyes. She's a lot less enthusiastic about Labs hogging all of them, on the other hand. Hey! I wanted those! she complains tugging at his closest elbow with a clawed hand, before swinging in front of him and bellowing straight into the Big Guy's face an indignant AND STOP SHOUTIN' FOR ALL HELLS' FREAKIN' SAKE!, coupled with a disgruntled murmur under her breath. This guy's just unb'lievable.

Spoiler: OOC

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He could probably try to read her lips, but, you know, lizard.

[Alhallor]

Getting down the mountain doesn't prove a challenge and no more nightmare monsters appear. Halfway the way towards the town Kalliste loses her lizard form and turns back to normal (because the duration has expired.)

The town is surrounded by a pretty low wall. It looks like it may have been higher before but the Stones that made up the wall were used for constructing more buildings. There is something of a central gate with some villagers standing around it. Some stop they're gossiping and wave towards you. "Welcome, strangers. Welcome to 'salt leave'."

Should you look around town a bit you can spot a town hall, an inn called 'salt soup' a miscallenous shop and one called 'ye olde magicke shop'. The belltower is towering over the town and even with it being at least a mile away it's shadow is creeping over the village. There are also a number of small restaurants and people who sell food on the streets. Not that much that it's totally unusual but more than you're used to see in a small city.

[Ridai]

"YOUR TEETH LOOK FINE!" Labs shouts back to Kalliste, assuming the clearly most likely thing why she would have opened her lizard maw wide in his face. He even adds a thumbs up.

At the village, Labs scratches his bearded chin, considering where to start investigating. Since he is still in this darned silence spell, he points to the belltower, since it seems like the most ominous thing, and says "WHAT ABOUT THERE?!"

[Metastachydium]

But loud as he may be, Kalliste (now a lot less scaly and complete with her usual, much more ladylike set of teeth) is already quite busy not listening to the lumberjack's words. In fact, by the time Labs finishes his weighty utterance, she's already halfway to the closest tavern, handing out smiles and Hey!s to anyone and everyone quite generously and like candy as she goes, though not breaking her stride for so much as a heartbeat until she hits the bar.

Shedding the mask of youthful mirth, she gives whoever looks most like an employee a somewhat more subdued Hey. as she slouches down on a chair with the countenance of a sad puppy. Somethin' strong, please. I'll even pay long 's it comes quick. she moans with pleading sad puppy eyes. She's not lying either. She needs that drink and she needs it now.

Spoiler: Rolls.

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Bluff to pretend she actually cares about any of the townfolk: (1d20+19)[20]
and
Diplomacy in hope of a discount on drinks: (1d20+20)[36]

[Alhallor]

---------Labs----------

Labs get's some bewildered looks and some people exchance… Glances. One of the villagers (who drew the short straw) Comes towards him and waves to get his attention. When he get's it he makes an effort to speak slowly and clearly, with exaggerated hand and lip motions.

"Are... you... allright?..."

--------Kalliste----------

People greet you back, clearly thinking that you love all of them.

When you get into the bar, there's a gnome barkeep, who currently is done mixing a drink for another guest who mentions towards Kalliste quickly. "Had a hard day?" Asks the barkeep who quickly mixes another drink. "It's on the house, you look like you need it."